Chapter 3

Seraphina

I don’t plan on staying at this party, but Angie practically begs me to come inside. There’s something about the night, the way the air feels heavy with expectation, that makes me want to turn and run. But Angie pleads that she needs me, and I can’t abandon her. Damn soft spot.

The moment we step through the door, the atmosphere is like nothing I’ve experienced before. The music throbs through the walls, deep bass vibrating against my chest. The lights are dim, casting long shadows across the room where the members of Sigma Phi stand, leaning against columns or lounging on the plush furniture. They’re everywhere. Almost every student from every fraternity and sorority at Cornell has made their way here, but something about the way the Sigma Phi members move, the way their eyes follow the Alpha Phi girls, like me and Angie, makes it feel... dangerous.

It isn’t just the pulsating music or the dim lighting. It’s the energy that hangs in the air, thick and suffocating. The decorations—black, red, and silver—create an atmosphere that’s less party and more... predatory. The scent of cologne mixes with something heavier, something intoxicating. My skin prickles. I feel like a fly caught in a spider’s web, no matter how hard I try to shake off the feeling.

Angie clings to my side, excitement in her eyes as she searches for TJ, her boyfriend. When she spots him in the crowd, her face lights up, but I can’t shake the feeling that something is off. The way TJ is standing there—his posture arrogant, his smirk almost too smug—sets my instincts on high alert. It isn’t just that TJ is an asshole. It’s the way he looks at people, like he’s the king of the world and everyone else is beneath him.

“Hey,” Angie says, tugging at my arm. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to TJ and the others. They’re great!”

I hesitate, my gaze flicking nervously across the room. A group of Sigma Phi guys cluster near the back, laughing loudly, a few of them eyeing me and Angie like prey. The looks they exchange aren’t friendly—they’re calculating. As Angie leads me toward TJ, I feel myself shrinking back, but Angie doesn’t notice, too busy getting lost in her boyfriend’s arms.

TJ greets me with a smirk, clearly sizing me up, before nodding at Angie with a bored glance. “Nice to see you again,” he says to me, his voice dripping with fake sweetness. “You two look… interesting tonight. Very... bold choices.” His eyes flick over our outfits, his gaze lingering a moment too long on Angie before landing back on me. I resist the urge to pull away and meet his gaze dead on, a small smile on my lips.

“Thanks,” I say evenly. “Just wanted to make sure I didn’t blend in too much.”

TJ chuckles, leaning a little too close. “You wouldn’t want to blend in here. Trust me, that’s not the vibe of Sigma Phi.” His eyes shift over to Angie, who is already laughing at something one of his friends has said. She looks happy, but I can’t ignore the shift in her demeanor. TJ has a way of making her seem smaller, less sure of herself.

The conversation is quickly lost to noise, but TJ’s jabs don’t go unnoticed. “Maybe next time you can dress a little more… understated. You know, so you don’t make the others feel bad about themselves.” His words are light, but they hit harder than he intends. I don’t flinch. I don’t even blink. But Angie? She stiffens, her smile faltering for a brief second.

TJ has that effect on people. He’s always made me uncomfortable, not because he’s overtly cruel, but because of the way he acts like he owns everyone in the room. The way he looks at women, the way his friends cluster around, trying to corner them in dark corners of the room or by the bar, makes it feel as if they’re hunting—waiting for the right moment to pounce.

I glance around. The more I observe, the more I notice the tension. The way the Sigma Phi men gather in tight groups, their eyes following the women as if they’re game. The subtle shifts in posture whenever someone catches a glimpse of a girl they like. It’s all so calculated, so deliberate. And the worst part? It’s intoxicating to everyone here.

Even as I feel the urge to leave, to get Angie away from this dangerous game, I can’t help but stay. I can’t leave her alone in a sea of predators. But the longer I stay, the more the air around me thickens.

My heart races, every instinct telling me to step away from the group, but I can’t. Angie is still laughing with TJ, lost in his grip, and I’m left standing awkwardly in the center of the Sigma Phi wolves. I try to ignore the way the men’s eyes track my every move, their words dripping with false charm and an unsettling undercurrent of possession.

One of the guys, a tall blonde with sharp features, leans in too close, his breath hot on my ear. “You’re too beautiful to be standing over here alone,” he murmurs, his voice thick with insinuation. “You should let us get to know you, show you how much fun we really know how to have.”

My stomach twists, and I take a quick step back. My eyes dart to the edge of the room where Angie is still talking to TJ. I feel isolated, outnumbered, and more than a little on edge. "I'm fine, really," I say, forcing a smile, but the moment I try to edge away, another guy—dark-haired with a devilish grin—steps in front of me, blocking my path.

“You can’t go anywhere just yet,” he says, his voice laced with mockery. “We’re just trying to be friendly. Don’t want you running off without saying goodbye.” He reaches for my arm, but I instinctively pull back, my pulse quickening.

“Hey, why don’t you let her go, man?” Another member of Sigma Phi—this one with a buzz cut and a too-casual swagger—chimes in. “Don’t be crude. She’s here for the fun too, right?”

The circle is closing in, and I feel the weight of their attention like a physical pressure. Every glance, every word, makes me feel like prey in the middle of a hunt. I’ve had enough.

With a sharp breath, I take a step back and turn toward the exit. “I’m really not interested in playing this game,” I say, my voice steady but firm. I take another step back, but the blonde Sigma Phi member blocks me again, his smile now too wide, too predatory.

“You don’t get to decide that,” he says, his words barely a whisper as he leans closer, crowding my space. “Not here, not tonight.”

But before I can react, there’s a shift in the air. The entire group seems to pause, and the men’s eyes flick toward the door, a mixture of surprise and recognition spreading across their faces.

Then, as if the tension of the room snaps into focus, the figure that emerges from the crowd isn’t just any Sigma Phi member. It’s Marius. He cuts through the group like a blade through soft fabric, his presence commanding attention.

Marius doesn’t need to speak to make his power known. The men circling me instantly freeze, some taking a step back, some straightening up, but none of them dare make a move.

“Is there a problem here?” Marius’ voice is quiet, but the force behind it makes the words crackle like a charge in the air.

And just like that, the suffocating tension lifts.